Dark Secrets
by Mirialdo
Summary: There are dark secrets hidden within everything..and soon Sanc (Cinq) kingdom's worse one will be discovered. It's major enough to effect the way history is going..how will effect the surviving royalty?
1. Interview: Shady Meadows Meadows Estate

Dark Secrets

Title: Dark Secrets

Warning: Angst, Yaoi, Adult content

Parings:13\6 

(maybe 2\6 later on in the fic...and no I'm not splitting the 13\6 up.. how is that possible.. you'll find out. 

Just wait...^_~ )

Disclaimer:I don't own GW or the characters.. the only thing I do own here is Shady Meadows, The Meadows Estate, Donal, Ronale, and Miriald (and no that isn't Zechs!) which are my own creations. If you wish to use them just ask or use them but give credit to me for them at either the beginning or end of the fic. Thank you. 

(Started: ) Wednesday, June 20, 2001

Authors Warning: 

This is the first time I've written Dorothy in a normal role. Since this begins and spans most of the story.. at least the beginning half in her POV please forgive if she's too OOC...I'm used to doing OZies or the Pilots. Also parts of this, including the very beginning read as if she's giving an interview of the events that happened within this fic. The other parts are either past events told from her or other pov's. and the present told the same way. But the present events won't be until close to the end of this. 

The title is taken from the many small dark secrets that are told\given away in this fic. There are small minor ones and others that are large enough to effect the way history might have went had they been discovered at a much different time...say before the Eve Wars, or before Operation Meteor was ever put into action. Rather than three years after the events of Endless Waltz. 

Enough about that though... On to the Fic! 

Enjoy!

~*Mirialdo Khushrenada*~

AKA: Treize 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( Present :A little over four years after Endless Waltz )

"Now where was I? ... oh yes.. your question. You know I shouldn't of even said anything, but since I do have permission now. I suppose I should answer it hmm? Well, its always best to start at the beginning so that's where I'll begin." Dorothy straightened her skirt over her legs and then smiled slightly at the man sitting across from her. She closed her eyes for a moment as if trying to recall those events that had happened over the last year. Opening them again she smiled at the man again and he shifted slightly in his seat as if uncomfortable or possibly like a mouse would under the gaze of a snake about to strike. 

"Hmm... yes. I believe it was over a year ago in Ukraine where I found both of them. I was following the leads I had received about my cousins whereabouts.. you see after Mr. Milliardo came back a year after he was supposed to have died, I figured my cousin might of had the same stroke of good fortune. I spent two years following false leads until this one came to my attention. According to it, a ginger haired man was supposed to have been admitted to this medical ward, by the name of Shady Meadows, located not far from Kiev." she paused as if thinking or distracted for a moment. Then she shook her head and gave a soft sigh. 

"Of course.. when I went I had two goals actually should this lead turn out to be true. One was to get my cousin out of there and find out how he survived. Number two was to prove to Miss Relena and Ms. Une that Mr. Milliardo was not.. how should I put it.. hmm.. mentally unstable might work. You might already have known that the Vice Minister had her brother committed to the Meadows Estate. He like myself, knew that my cousin was still alive, of course he didn't get as bad as they claimed he was back then until he returned to earth. But I digress.." 

"As I was saying.. I left for Ukraine hoping that this lead was a true one and my cousin was at the end of this.. but I never expected to find what I did.." 

****

(Three years after Endless Waltz, a year before the beginning of this fic)

****

The blonde stepped out of the car and walked up to the gate and after showing her pass continued inside the compound towards the building. She made her way pass the nurses station ignoring the questioning looks she received from them as she walked through the double entrance doors. She calmly walked down the bland off-white dull hallways filled with carts or the elderly making their way slowly down the hall one way or another. The hall ran through a large open room and she stopped stepping out of the hallways path to scan the room for the familiar color of ginger she was hunting for. 

It wasn't there. But this was a large Ward or Clinic as the sign outside read. She frowned for a minute before stepping back into the hallways path and glancing down both ways before deciding to continue down it. Finding nothing but an endless hall of continuous doors, all with the same cheap fake wood appearance to them. With a slightly frustrated sigh she turned around and begun to retrace her steps to the large room she had past through, scanning it once more silently. Still not finding what she sought she began to continue down back towards the front of the building when a hand tapping her once on the shoulder caught her attention. 

Turning she saw one of the nurses standing behind her. "May I help you Miss?" the woman asked, one hand resting in the large pocket of the mauve smock she wore. 

Dorothy smiled slightly at her, already silently beginning to hate this place, and its overhanging cloud of depression and doom. "Yes, I'm looking for someone. He had ginger colored hair, deep blue eyes. About 5'8" tall.. I was told I could find him here. Could you direct me to where he is?" 

The nurse frowned, pressing her lips together as if very displeased by the description of the person she had given. "There's no one here like that, you heard wrong. Now if you've kindly leave, I have others who need my help." the woman said in a sullen tone. 

The nurse's attitude was the last straw. Dorothy narrowed her eyes and then took a hold of the nurse's wrist and twisted it a little. "I know he's here. If you don't take me to him now.. you won't be *able* to help anyone else here. Understand me?" she hissed softly, twisting the woman's wrist a little more with her last words. The woman winced and then nodded glaring back at her. Dorothy gave the wrist in her hand one last twisting yank before releasing it. "Good. I would hate to have to pull rank on this pathetic little operation you have running here. Now lead the way." 

The nurse rubbed her wrist silently giving her another glare before walking down the hall towards the station at the front of the building. Dorothy followed her silently, ignoring it. Just before they reached the station the nurse opened a door way and led her down another hallway, which seemed to mimic the one they just left exactly. Finally the woman stopped in front of a large patio window and opened the door leading her outside and across the pathetic excuse that apparently passed for a garden here. 

The path they were on continued on, disappearing behind a stand of tall pines, which the woman finally stopped at. "In here." she said. Her voice cold and clipped. The words sounding more like a curse than anything else. Dorothy nodded and then stepped around the pines her eyes scanning the area and taking in the vast array of roses that seemed to dominate the small space. She heard the voices then and turned towards them to see a group of men speaking softly in one corner of the small rose garden. 

"The Rose of Sharon?" an old voice said. Soft laughter followed the statement.

"I'm sorry but the Rose of Sharon isn't a rose at all. ' Hibiscus Syriacus' not is not even close to 'Rosa Dilecta', the Hybrid Tea rose." a soft tenor replied. 

A bit more laughter from the other men. "Well what about the Althaea Rosea?" the older man asked, a faint smugness in his tone. A soft laugh followed his question.

"What is this? When did the Hollyhock become a rose?" the tenor again. More laughter.

A disgusted sound. "Well then.. what about the Christmas rose?" The older man seemed determined to win this little battle of knowledge and was losing pitifully. 

Another small laugh. "You don't give up do you. Very well then. The Christmas Rose or Helleborus niger is not a true rose either." 

Dorothy walked towards the men silently watching the group of four men, two of which were still laughing at the older man's disgusted expression. After thinking a moment she stood behind the one she hoped was who she thought it was and spoke indifferently. "What about the Rosa arkansana?" she asked the man sitting in front of her, his back still towards her. 

A soft tenor laugh again and the figure turned to look at her, through the one deep blue eye that wasn't covered by the ginger bangs that fell over one side of his face. "Yes. The Prairie Rose is a true rose as it belongs to the Rosa genus. " A small smile graced his lips. " Hello Dorothy, please sit down unless this is just a short visit and you don't have the time." 

Dorothy ignored the sarcastic barb and took a seat beside him taking in his appearance. Besides his hair growing longer, not much else had changed it seemed. "Hello cousin Treize. May I ask how long you've been here?" she asked quietly watching him. 

For a moment it seemed he was studying her, then his attention flicked back behind him to take in the glowering figure of the nurse who still stood on the path just inside this small garden. He gave a patronizing smile to the woman and then gestured with hand for her to leave. "We'll be quite alright here, Nurse 'Pratchit'. You can leave us now." the tone he used was sarcastic and held a trace of dry humor in it. The nurse's glower turned into a full-blown glare and she turned sharply on her heel and left, the laughter of the other two men on Treize's right following her departing form. 

The man sitting on Dorothy's left sighed. "You shouldn't have done that. Now she'll go get that damned Doctor and we'll be cooped up inside for a week at least, and you to your beloved bed no doubt." the older man's tone held disgust with a faint tremble of fear behind it. 

Treize turned back around in his chair and rolled his visible eye. A slight smirk graced his features suddenly. "I doubt they do *that* again.. last time it cost him two CNA's and one RN. And they still haven't replaced the CNA's. Most likely he can't find any who will work here." the tenor voice was had a sarcastic overtone. 

There was something in this exchange that made her hair rise on the back of her neck. "Are they holding you here against your will cousin?" she asked quietly. 

One of the men across from her gave a disgusted snort. "Honey, no ones here of their own free will. You get put in this hell hole you stay in this hell hole until one of two things happen." 

The other man sighed and finished the first ones statement. "Ye either get taken out by the one who put ye in here in the first place or ye die her. Most often its the latter. And ye don't *even* want to think about trying to walk out the front door." The man beside her whimpered slightly and then stood up. 

"I'm leaving.. I don't want to hear this. And you -" he turned back to Treize jabbing a bony finger at the bored face watching him with indifference. "You are trouble. It follows you around like a cloud of doom, and I want nothing more to do with it or you!" the man finished and then hurriedly walked away from them towards the path. 

The other men watched the retreating form in silence, she looked down at Treize. He was slowly moving one finger down to touch his palm, silently mouthing the number of fingers. After he completed the first hand he started on the second. She frowned faintly and then startled slightly when he suddenly looked up after finishing the second hand and turned to look back towards the path. The old man had just made it onto the path when he gave a small gasping cry and collapsed to his knees holding his chest. She looked back at Treize, and saw nothing in his expression besides the cold indifference as he watched the man finally fall face first onto the stone path. 

After a moment he gave a slight bored sigh and turned back around in his chair. "I told him his anger would kill him one of these days.. that was his trouble he never listened to me." Part of her was shocked to see him just sit there after having watched the man die behind him. Looking up at the other men she saw that her cousins actions hadn't fazed them any. 

"Does that happen often?" she asked quietly. 

The man who had been speaking before the interruption nodded once glancing at Treize. " Yes.. and ye keen somethin' else? He's never wrong. Ye cousin.. he knows when dey be leaving here in the pine box he does. Ye see him counting and ye know someone's a leaving here soon. And it won't be through the front doors I'm telling ye.. but the back ones inside a pine box." 

While the man spoke she glanced at Treize, his eye was closed and his face held no expression as he sat there.

"Treize?" she asked softly. The eye opened slightly looking at her, and she suppressed a small shudder at the thought that the gaze seemed to be looking through her as well. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Of course, cousin. Why shouldn't I be alright?" he said quietly. His eye closed again and then after a moment he opened it and lifted his head slightly as if recalling something. "I haven't introduced you have I.. it seems my manners are slipping. Forgive me. The one on my right is Ronale. The other on his right is Donal. The recently departed was Hawken." He nodded slightly after he finished and glanced at the other two. "This gentlemen is my cousin Dorothy." The other two nodded politely towards her and she smiled faintly. Silently worried for her cousin, considering his current behavior. 

Treize seemed to smile slightly for some reason and then glanced at her, lifting an eyebrow slightly. "You needn't be worried cousin.. I'm far from demented, but this place you could say is getting to me." She froze silently in muted shock at his addressing a concern that she hadn't voiced. 

She tried to recover and then stood slowly. "I never said I thought you were." she said quietly looking down at him. 

Another small smirk and the visible eyebrow lifted again. "Your actions, thoughts implied it." he responded with a faint trace of acid in his tone. 

She took a step back away from the chairs and then held onto the back of the chair she had just left. She decided to try and calm him down with the only thing she could hope still possibly held any meaning to him. "I came to find you so I could ask your help." she said watching him, waiting. 

"Help with what?" 

"Milliardo." 

She was surprised at the sudden change in his appearance. He shot up straight in his seat, eye going wide at the name. His features held hope, fear, and a hint of his old self as he studied her. "He's alive?" he asked, the tenor sounding slightly strained. 

She nodded. "Yes, but he needs your help. You're the only one who could possibly help him now. Others have tried and failed.. so if I got you out of this place would you help me help him?" she asked. Treize was standing now, one hand holding the arm of his chair as if it were a lifeline. 

"Of course.. but how do you plan to do that? Get me out of here I mean.. I can't just walk out of here." 

Donal nodded silently behind him. "He's right. Someone already tried that.. lost half his arm. Luckily it wasn't his life...or maybe unlucky since he was dragged back in here to continue living in this hell hole. Show her ye arm Ginger." 

She looked back at Treize who was pulling up the sleeve of the sweater he was wearing. A wide black band was wrapped around his wrist with a sinister looking silver circle centered right over the middle of it. After a moment he pulled his sweater back down covering it again. 

Swearing silently she closed her eyes thinking of how she could get around that and then thought of two things. If the first was a no-go the second would work if only she was able to get it started. She glanced over at Donal. "That band.. what would happen -" she began.

Donal shook his head in a fast no. "If ye try to cut it off him lass, it *will* go boom and very likely to take ye and him both when it does. I wouldn't even begin to try messing with It." he said grimly. 

When she looked back towards Treize he wasn't paying any attention to those around him. Once more his attention was centered on his hands and counting silently. Ronale watched him wary. Donal simply closed his eyes as if offering up a brief prayer to the heavens. By the time she looked back at her cousin the 'spell' had ended and he sighed softly. Donal opened his eyes and glanced at Treize an unspoken question in his eyes. 

"Rosalie." Treize said softly before sitting down once more. Ronale sighed and lowered his eyes. 

"She's in a better place now hmm?" he asked quietly. 

Donal nodded silently. Dorothy looked between the three men and finally decided to ask what was foremost on her mind. "How did he *know* who died? I could possibly understand feeling someone die.. but how..?" she trailed off watching them silently, waiting. 

Treize didn't answer, he didn't even look up at her to acknowledge he had heard her. Donal glanced at him then at her and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Oi.. lass.. We normally don't speak of that ye see. It just *is*.. Ever since he came here he's been able to do that.. although.." he stalled then and glanced at Treize. "Should I? I won't go further if you don't want me too." he said softly watching the silent ginger-haired man. 

The visible sapphire eye glanced up at him briefly. "Go on.. I've heard it enough it doesn't really have any effect anymore." he said quietly. 

Donal nodded silently before he looked back at her. "Well, he was in bad shape when he got here. The first year.. ye might say was touch and go until they finally kept him stable and he pulled out of the woods. The second he recovered from the first year and that's when it started. It drove the doctor lads nuts trying to figure out what was going on and finally.." he paused with a small wince and hesitated for a moment before continuing. ".. they did some tests. That wouldn't of been so bad, but the stupid bastards didn't read his files and used electro-shock therapy." Another wince. She spared a glance at Treize, he was paying them no attention. His eyes seemed to be glued to the various roses blooming about the small garden. 

Dorothy looked back at Donal. "Go on. Something went awry I take it?" she asked.

"Ye could say that. Terribly so, ye see when they brought him in it was electrocution he was suffering from.. it messed his system up something awful.. so when they did those tests.." Donal swallowed slightly, but was interrupted from continuing by Treize's tenor, quiet sounding with a trace of pain behind it. 

"It felt like I was back in that cockpit.. it just made everything worse. Everything felt on fire.. like before.. I thought I'd die from it, but of course I didn't.. instead now I get some kind of *feeling* when some here dies and I *know* who it is.. It's overwhelming that feeling.. that's why I count, it dampens it somewhat until it goes away." he looked away from the roses, towards her, the visible eyes held a haunted look deep within it.

"It took me a couple months after they finally repaired what they could before I could walk again, another couple of months, before I could talk decently enough to hold a conversation again." he looked down silently then ran a hand through his bangs slowly, brushing them out of his face finally. The eye beneath the bangs was milk white, scars made themselves known as ragged white lines running across his temple around his right eye to finally taper off as they made their way down his neck. 

He turned to look at her directly, both eyes watching her silently for a moment before he spoke again. "Before the therapy the doctor said there was a 50\50 chance of my eyesight returning, now its nil. Also I been here for going on three years, thinking no one that I could trust knew of my survival. I couldn't call anyone without revealing myself to the world. Which I still do not want.. I arranged things before so that the War would end and another would not be started.. and while I was mostly in part successful I will *not* ruin it just because of personal discomfort." He leaned back in the chair, arms crossing over his chest silently as he calmed himself down. 

"Also.." he looked down, causing the long bangs to fall once more over his face. "I believed Milliard.. had died. It seems everything has conspired to create what you see today. I may be only 27 but I feel like I'm entering 60's.....but if I'm the only one you think can help Milliardo then how can you get me out so that I can help you help him?" he asked quietly looking up at her. 

Dorothy closed her eyes trying and failing to suppress a shudder that went through her. After a moment she opened her eyes again and then looked back down at him. "Yes. If everything I have in mind goes correctly I can have you out of her within a week. Possibly sooner. " she said. 

He nodded slightly and then closed his eyes. "Is it possible to help any of the others trapped here?" he asked softly not opening his eyes. 

Dorothy straightened up, recovering from the multiple shocks she had received this evening. "Cousin, if everything goes the way it should this place will *not* be running after the week is out." 

"Good." 

Nodding she turned to walk back towards the path and then with one silent glance back she left the clinic.

***

She parked her car along the wall that surrounded Meadow Estate and walked up to the tall iron gate. The guard nodded silently as she took out her pass and showed it to him. "I know who you are Miss Dorothy." he said leaning back in his seat.

"Anyone been here today?" she asked as she placed the pass back in her purse.

"You mean those annoying pressmen or his sister?" 

"Miss Relena's here?" 

He nodded and rolled his eyes. "If you were an hour earlier you could of heard her. It seems he didn't exactly welcome her visit." 

"Is she still here?" 

He sighed and nodded. "I think he only let her inside just to shut her up." A snort of amusement came after the statement.

Dorothy smiled slightly. "Maybe." With that she turned away from him, and walked through the gates down the narrow street. Walking down the quiet lane she glanced at the various houses on each side. They were nice homes. Which only the wealthy could afford the price of living in one though. She looked up ahead towards her destination when she heard the sudden screaming. 

"Brother! Please you have to get over this. He's gone.."

"SHUT UP! You don't know what I do.. I know he's alive! I can feel it!" 

The door to the second house down from where she was swung open and a tall blonde rushed out of the door to be followed closely by a smaller woman dressed in pale pink and white. 

"Milliardo! Come back here! Listen to me!" 

Milliardo spun around to face Relena still standing in the doorway. "I AM NOT CRAZY! I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!" he screamed back at her fists clenched at his sides. 

Relena paled slightly. " I never said you were crazy Brother.." 

He glared at her. "THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU FORCEME TO LIVE IN THIS PLACE, IF YOU DON'T THINK I'VE LOST IT? YOU TRIED TO HAVE ME COMMITED!"

Dorothy raised an eyebrow slightly and then continued towards them. "Hello Mr. Milliardo... Miss Relena." 

Milliardo spun around and upon seeing it was her, slowly calmed down. "Dorothy.. make her leave me alone." the request sounded more like a growl, but she nodded and glanced at Relena.

"Miss Relena, may I borrow your brother for a while?" She turned back to Milliardo without waiting an answer and then continued. "You see there's a mission.. and if I'm not mistaken your still a Preventer yes?" 

He nodded, turning to deliver a small glare at Relena. "No thanks to her. It was either move here or resign. What mission?" 

"I can explain it on the way to Brussels." she said watching both of them. 

Milliardo straightened up and nodded walking back towards the house. Relena stepped out of his way as he walked back inside and moments later he came back out dressed in uniform. His demeanor was calm, and he nodded once towards Relena as he passed her. "I assume your driving?"

Dorothy nodded in answer and then glanced at Relena. "Take care, Miss Relena. Goodbye." She led the way back towards the gate and nodded once to the guard, watching as he gave a glance at Milliardo but did nothing. They climbed back into her car and began the trip towards the airport. The flight to Brussels was uneventful and silent. 

As they walked up to Une's office, he glanced at her. "You never explained what this mission was."

She glanced at him and then stepped forwards to open the door. "I know. I decided I'd like to only say it once instead of having to repeat myself twice." 

Inside the office, Une glanced up at her. "Yes Dorothy? Wind.. something wrong?" 

Dorothy smiled slightly and then walked towards the desk and sat down in one of the chairs in front of it. "Nothing's wrong. Well nothing here is wrong. I have something I want to ask.."

"What is it?"

"There's this clinic just outside of Kiev. Its called Shady .. Meadows. Lets just say its shady alright. The place is a disaster. To add to that they're holding a VIP that could create one hell of a bonfire if someone found him and took him away from them." She glanced back at Milliardo and then looked back at Une. "You see.. Milli-" 

"Wind." 

She looked back at him, the word had been cold and clipped. After a moment she nodded silently before turning back around to face Une once more. "Wind.. and I are correct in something."

Une sighed, a slight frown marring her features. "Please don't go into that again.. we already talked about this." 

"I know, but listen and hear me out. Send a team to the Clinic. Inspect it and shut it down. If he's not there, then I spoke to the wrong person for an hour. If he's there then we're proven right. That's all I'm asking."

Une watched her silently for a moment before standing. "Very well. Two teams of two then. Just in case they try to pull a fast one on the inspection. Team one will distract the doctor and nurses. Team two will inspect the building and the residents. Who would you rather work with Wind? Wing, Moon, or Shadow?"

Wind stepped closer to the desk. "Depending on which team. If I am to speak with the doctors, then either Wing or Shadow.. Shadow would be more help though. Leaving Wing and Moon to inspect the place." 

Une nodded and then picked up the phone. "You're right. I'll call them and tell them to meet you in Kiev. From there you can plan your moves and then take care of this." 

Dorothy stood. "I have a pass from my last visit they can use to get themselves inside. There's a gate you have topass through to get to the building. Once they're in they could split up. If the doctor's distracted he shouldn't notice them leave." 

"Alright then, fly with Wind to Kiev and give them the pass and then wait for them to finish. *If* he is in there you can help them get him here so we can take care of him right. Dismissed." 

Wind nodded and then turned sharply and walked out without another word. Dorothy watched him silently as he left then turned to Une. "You shouldn't of let her do that to him. It only did more harm than good." she said quietly before turning and following him out of the office. 


	2. Mission: Treize Shady Meadow's Secret

Dark Secrets

***

Part II

***

Nothing is so burdensomeTruth and oil always come

as a secret.to the surface.

~French Proverb~~Spanish Proverb~

Heero watched as Wind and Shadow walked up towards the gate, Moon right behind them and slightly in front of him. The guard sat up as Wind approached and then paled suddenly as he took in his appearance. 'Strange.. ' he thought as the pass Wind held out towards the guard was drawn away and he turned towards the gate and pushed it inwards to walk past it not noticing the fear-filled gaze of the guard. After he reached the threshold of the gate he saw why the guard had reacted the way he did. The gate ran on a track.. and Wind's shove inwards has twisted it off that track and into the ground beyond it. 

He followed Wind, and the other two inside the building and to the nurse's station. One of the nurse glanced at him and he returned the look with a silent glare. She got the hint and looked away quickly. He reviewed the directions he had gotten from Dorothy in his mind and then glanced at the hall to the left. He noted the door which he needed and then with a soft tap on Moon's shoulder he directed his own eyes towards the door. The other Preventers visible eye followed his line of sight and then gave him a slight nod. 

Moon left his side then to distract the remaining nurse that was at the station and Heero slipped past the station to the door. Opening it quickly he slipped inside and glared at the sight of the hall. This place he noted silently wasn't fit for rats to live in, let alone people. Heero made his way silently down the hall till he came upon the large glass patio door that had been mentioned. Slipping through it to the garden outside he walked along the path towards the large pines. Walking between them his eyes took in the rose garden and then the man kneeling in front of a certain bush of yellow -pink roses. He couldn't tell what he was doing, but it didn't matter to him. What mattered was the man had the hair color of the man they had come for, but was it really him. 

"Excuse me." he said his voice emotionless, despite the thoughts running through his mind about what would happen if this was *him* and someone did find out about him. Dangerous ground.. indeed. The man glanced at him silently before rocking back onto his heels and then pulling himself up straight. Heero's breath hissed in his ears. It *was* him. He managed to keep his face expressionless, but he was sure that the ex-general could most likely read him by just looking at his eyes which were taking in the long disheveled hair that covered most of one side of his face. A ginger brow split at the end rose in query for a brief moment. "My name is Preventer Wing. If you would come with me I will take you to the rest of our team and get you out of here." 

A small smile graced the older man's features for a minute before he shoved one sleeve up his arm revealing the black band Dorothy had briefed them on. He stepped closer to study it, finally taking Treize's wrist in his own hands to get a better look at the center silver piece. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied it and then released the wrist stepping back and away from him. 

"How many are in your team?" 

Heero had been turning to lead the way out when he heard the question and glanced back. "Four." Treize nodded silently apparently satisfied with the short answer. He turned back towards the pines and began to retrace his way back, glancing back behind him every couple of feet to confirm that Khushrenada was still behind him. 

*

Trowa watched as Heero left through the door and then excused himself from the station walking down the hall silently eyes flickering over the condition of the place, old training helped with the slight smell from some area's. This was the hall Dorothy hadn't been down and if he was any judge it was worse. As he walked down the hall he began to take in the pattern to the doors and carts. It seemed as if they were placed in a certain way for some reason. On impulse he knelt checking one of the carts out and found dust, and a few cobwebs around the bottom of it. 

Apparently it had not been moved for at least a year, maybe longer. Interest caught he began studying the pattern and trying to figure it out. There had to be a reason for it, why else go to the trouble of placing the carts 'exactly' so? He spotted something along one wall and ran a finger along it. The raised line ran down the wall disappearing behind the cart. Looking up he noticed another line leading to another running down the wall parallel to the first he had found. He caught it then. The hall had been remodeled. Where the carts were sitting were where the old doors used to be. He studied the pattern he had put together with this information and saw the key to it. It resembled a map of sorts. Mentally he traced the path that the pattern revealed and ended up standing at what appeared to be a dead end of a hall. 

This was the break in the perfect pattern. There was something here, perhaps even behind the wall that was meant to be hidden and stay hidden from all but those who knew of the remodeling and the pattern map. Well...it appeared that 'Shady Meadows' had more than just one secret.. he laid his hand flat against the wall and ran it along the surface slowly searching for anything that would suggest a latch, or the fact that there once might of been a door here as well. He leaned closer towards the wall and pushed slightly in various places.. maybe a pressure plate instead of a latch. He stepped back and then wind milled for a second as his heel caught on something. Catching himself against the side wall he looked back at the wall and then down at the floor. 

His eyes picked it out right away. The area where his foot had caught was a piece of a pattern area that was sticking up slightly higher than the rest of the floor. Walking around it he studied the diagram in the floor and then looked up at the area in front of him. It hit like lighting and his eyes darted back to the floor and then to the wall in front of him. He had been testing the wrong wall. There had been a door back here, but it had been sealed up for some reason. There had to be something 'hidden' within the old room that was no doubt behind that wall. Why go to so much trouble just to seal one room off and leave a map so people could find it again. It made no sense unless there was something important behind the wall. 

Now how to get past the wall without drawing to much attention or bringing the building down around him. He studied the floor again walking carefully around the diagram. Silently getting a little frustrated at the puzzle he looked at the floor from a slightly off angle and then glanced at the wall, studying it. There was something.. another pattern within the tiles on the floor. Looking back up and walking closer to the wall it took him a couple minutes before he found the same pattern on the wall. Running his hand over it he found the area rough and raised slightly out from the wall. Following a gut feeling he took out a flashlight from his jacket and shinned it on the wall slowly making a pass with it all the way down the wall. He found the matching pattern near the base of the wall. 

Placing the light back in his jacket he leaned against the wall making sure his foot and calf hit the area that held the lower pattern while his shoulder pressed in on the upper one. Shoving against the wall hard, he suddenly heard a small 'click' and stepped back for a second to see the wall swing in slightly. He glanced around the hallway before slipping inside the door and turning around. What he saw in front of him though shocked him speechless and he just stood there staring unbelieving at the figure standing in front of him. 

'Impossible...' he thought silently.

*

Duo lifted himself up onto the desk in the office they were waiting in for the baka doctor to be fetched by the equally baka nurses. He wondered how Heero and Trowa were doing, surely they were having a better time than he was. "Ne Wind...this is getting boring as hell.. I thought we were going get to hassle this Doc character...?" 

Wind glanced at him silently and merely raised an eyebrow at him. Duo got the message though and shut up for the moment. 'No wonder Wing and him get along.. they act alike while on missions.. cold, silent and deadly as hell..' he thought as he swung a leg back and forth from beside the desk.

Five minutes passed and he jumped down. "Man.. what is taking him so long..?" 

"Why don't you go and see?" the cool baritone said, as azure locked with violet. 

Duo's expression lit up like a kid in a candy store and a smirk spread across the braided Preventers face. "I think I will... " With that said he left the room and was back at the nurses station. Snapping his fingers once in one of the nurse's faces, she looked up annoyed. He smiled cheerfully back. "We were just wondering ...Where is the doctor.. we can go to him instead of waiting I think.." 

The nurse scowled up at him. "I told you already..." her voice seemed to die in her throat as a tall shadow fell over him. He glanced back to see Wind standing behind him coldly watching the nurse. 

"He has a point.. where is the 'good' doctor.. its just a couple questions and we'll be on our way.."

With a sigh the nurse gave them directions to find the Doctor, who was sitting in a different office across the building. Duo felt like socking either the doctor or one of the nurses.. they could of told them to begin with there was *two* offices.. they walked inside the second office and he watched as the doctor paled as Wind walked inside.

'Ok...now this is just getting weird.. I mean sheesh.. I know he looks dangerous as hell, but he's not the devil.. you'd think they are afraid he's going to attack them or something..' he thought as he shut the door behind them. 

"How?! You?! I..." the doctor was almost frantic with fright it seemed for some weird reason. 

'Maybe he realizes how much shit he's in for running this hell hole, not to mention if he's actually *does* have that General here.. then he's in a shitload of trouble..' Duo thought as he walked over and perched himself on the desk facing the doctor. "So...what's up Doc?" he said grinning at the confused and startled expression on the man's face. Slowly the man began to regain his calm as he watched Wind, wary still of him as the taller man moved to seat himself in one of the chairs. 

"You're...oh thank god.. So what may I do for you?" 

Duo snickered slightly. 'Nice try at a save Doc.. why don't you just spill everything before we even start.' he shook his head and then shifted his position so that he was sitting more comfortably.. still on the desk, but he saw it shook the guy up to have him so close to him. "You can try telling us just why you spazzed when we walked in. Got something to *hide* Doc?" 

"What?! What do you mean?" 

'.this guy is about a few cards short of a full deck.' Duo thought rolling his eyes as he turned to glance at Wind. "You want to explain it or should I?" he asked Wind.

Azure eyes glanced over at the man behind him, and then Wind stood. "I think I will.. could you please get out of the way?" He smirked slightly and then slid off the desk and walked over to sink into one of the chairs, watching Wind as he walked around the desk and picked the older man up by his shirt. 'oooh... someone is going to get hurt.. if this keeps up..' 

*

Wind hauled the smaller man out of his seat, hands fisted in the shirt and lab coat the doctor wore. The doctor watched him with widened eyes as he pulled him close to his face. "I'm going to explain this to you like you're two. Maybe you'll understand then.." A brief flash of anger for the insult flashed across the doctor's features as he released the doctor to stand on his own feet. It fled though becoming wary again when Wind began to speak again. "First, I walk in here and everyone's stepping like their on eggshells around me. I walk in here and you nearly go into hysterics at the sight of me walking in. Two, I've been told you have a very important person here.. I want to know how you got him and why he's being kept here in this rats nest." 

The doctor swallowed and then nodded absently before sitting down on the edge of his desk, keeping his eyes on Wind. "Well.. the first answer would be its who you are, Mr. Peacecraft. We've been in this building for only around ten or so years. The first location of this clinic was in Sanc.. so its not often you have.. " 

The doctor fell silent at the callous glare he was receiving from Wind. "Start again.. the truth this time." he said coldly. 

"Well.. can I ask what person you were referring to a moment ago?" the doctor asked.

Wind narrowed his eyes. "Khushrenada, Treize" 

An alarmed look fled through the other man's eyes at the name. "I thought he was dead.. three years actually.." the doctor's head snapped back suddenly as Wind backhanded him across the face. 

Duo lifted an eyebrow at the display of temper. "I should of warned you, Doc. Wind hates liars.. I'd start confessing before you get him really pissed off.. that wouldn't be pretty. Trust me. You don't need your teeth to talk.." he gave the older man an evil smirk and glanced over at Wind who was watching the doctor silently, the azure dark and seething with anger. "Does he really need to keep his teeth? I haven't played dentist for a long time." He held back the snicker that tried to escape when the doctor's face went white. 

Wind glanced at him then back at the doctor. He stepped back and then gestured towards the doctor. "True.. by all means. Maybe it will encourage him, when he speaks the words better be true or he might lose something else of his that's a little more important to him. " 

Duo sat up and then pushed himself out of the chair, walking towards them. Wind turned away and began towards the door. "While you do your dentistry.. I'm going to check to see what the other's have found." 

Duo cracked his knuckles on one hand, grinning as the sound made the doctor flinch. He nodded and then cracked the other hand. "Kay.. you think we should ask the ole' Doc here about those little black bands too..?" he asked. 

Wind paused in the doorway. "Sure. He can show us how they are removed when we find Treize. Just remember the doctor needs to be able to talk and work with his hands.. if you find anything else 'wrong' and he won't tell you anything. Feel free to 'fix' it." he said walking out shutting the door. 

Duo turned back to the doctor and grinned. "So.. Doc.. which is it going to be? Do I get to play dentist or are you going to tell me what we want to know?" 


	3. Reunion: Miriald \ Wind & Treize

Dark Secrets

***

Part III

***

Trowa stepped off to one side of the room watching the man. Long platinum hair fell down past broad shoulders. Azure eyes watched him silently. He turned his eyes from the man, to take in the room. No windows, one bed, a table and a chair. "Who are you?" he asked, glancing back at the man. 

The stranger remained silent. Trowa looked into the azure eyes and repeated his question. "Who are you?" 

An eyebrow rose slightly and then the man lifted his hands from his sides and signed. Trowa looked down at the hands, then up again. "Miriald?" A nod. "Do you have a last name?" he asked. Miriald shook his head no. "You can't talk?" Another nod and a faint sigh, that was really nothing more than a release of air.

Trowa frowned faintly thinking. "How long have you been here?" 

The slim hands signed /How long have I been in this room or how long I've been in this place/

"Both if you can remember." 

A nod and the hands began again. /I've been in this room for I think five years./ 

A pause and the hands moved again. /I've been in this building for ten years/ 

Another pause and the eyes seemed to narrow slightly.

/I used to be able to speak before I was brought here/

Trowa saw the anger through the motions and the others expression and sighed watching him a moment before speaking. "What happened?" 

/Accident/ 

A snort of disgust followed the signing. 

/I was riding in the place I used to live and something spooked the horse, it reared but I held on and calmed it down. We continued on and then something scared it again and instead of rearing it bolted/ 

Another silent sigh.

/ The horse tripped as it hit a ditch and it fell /

/since I had no warning I fell with it / 

A pause and the hands shook a little before Miriald calmed and then continued.

/I was injured when the horse tried to pick itself up/ 

A hand lifted itself to rub at the throat for a moment as if in remembered pain. 

/I over heard the doctors say I was lucky that the blow didn't crush my windpipe or break my neck./ 

/I don't believe that the horse caused this though / 

The eyes shifted downwards. "You think someone caused the accident as a cover?" 

Miriald nodded. / The people who raised me told me we had enemies/ 

/ That was the reason we moved from where I grew up to the place where I had the accident / 

/ I was 5 or 6 when it happened , the move. My nanny was crying as were the rest of the servants / 

/ I asked her what was wrong but she never told me, except to say that they had enemies now and had to leave the county/ 

/After the accident I was brought here, I don't know what happened to her / 

Trowa silently took the information in and tried to plot a timeline. If his guess was correct Miriald was 23, taking ten years off that, he must of been at least 13 when his voice was taken away. That would of been before Operation Meteor. He shook his head free of the thoughts and then looked back up at Miriald. 

"Did you have any brothers, any siblings?" he asked. 

Miriald shook his head. / None that I know of / 

Trowa glanced at the door, then back at the blonde. "Would you come with me? Out of here?" he asked as he walked towards the door and opened it a little wider. Miriald nodded and walked over to him and slipped out of the door looking around the dimly lit hallway. Trowa followed him out and shut the door. Taking a moment to get the map he had used to get here back he then began to lead the way back out of the hall towards the station. 

*

Heero glared at the nurse sitting behind the desk before turning away and facing the older man leaning silently against the wall behind him. "She said she doesn't know where the others went." he said as he walked towards Treize. "And she won't tell me where the damn doctor is either." 

"Ah.. perhaps I could help?" Treize said softly glancing down at him. 

Heero looked up at him. "How so?" 

"Well, I do know where *one* of the doctor's offices is.. I've been brought to it often enough." 

"Alright, show me then. " He said glaring once more at the nurse as Treize straightened up and began to lead the way through a door in the right hallway, that led to another hallway. He almost ran into the ex-general though when the man stopped suddenly. "What's wrong?" he asked walking to stand beside Treize. 

Treize didn't respond and he saw the reason for his state. 

Wind stood a couple feet away also frozen like Treize watching them silently. 

*

Wind had not expected him to look so haggard, but it was him. His eyes took in the longer hair that covered part of his face and the loose clothing. Slowly he shook the shock off and closed the distance between them raising a hand to lightly touch Treize's face. 

Treize's eyes closed and he leaned into the touch silently. Without thinking Wind pulled him closer and held him in his arms, feeling Treize's wrap around him as well. He closed his eyes against the sudden surge of emotion as well to block the sudden tears that had come to his eyes. "I knew you were alive.. I was right." he whispered softly. 

After a couple minutes they pulled back and he looked down at Treize who sighed softly. "Yes, you were right.. I'm here. Dorothy said you.. needed my help. What did she mean by that may I ask?" Treize asked quietly watching him.

"I'll explain later, but for now everything is going good. I just came from speaking with the doctor. " he said turning slightly to glance down the hallway. " Duo is supposed to convince him to tell us what we need to know.." 

Heero glanced down the hall and back at him. "You left the baka with the doctor?" he said raising an eyebrow slightly. 

He couldn't stop the small smile that came. "Yes, he said something about practicing his dentistry on him, to encourage him to be more truthful and talkative." 

*

"Lets see.. if I understand you correctly. Supposedly this man came to you with a kid that just happens to look exactly like Wind and you never asked him why he wanted you to hide him here? You think I was born yesterday?" Duo said as he glanced at the Doctor who shook his head rapidly holding the back of his hand over his mouth. "Then why are trying to feed this shit? I know you know more than you're letting on, so spill it or do you want to lose some more teeth?" 

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly again and he shook his head again, before lowering his hand a bit. "I'm telling you the truth.." 

"That may be but you're not giving the whole truth.. so spill or spit another tooth, which is it?" 

The older man stepped back away from him quickly. "Alright! He said if the kid was found that to put it bluntly shit would hit the fan. There was only supposed to two heirs to the throne, but there was one that no one knew about. Twins are apparently bad news in a monarchy, so they kept the older of the two and sent the younger away right after he was born to be taken by a trusted person." 

"You said kid not newborn."

"I know I did.. that just what the guy said. But he said that it was now too dangerous to have him running loose so steps had been taken to ensure that the boy was ....I can't remember the exact word he used but when we received him, he had just come from a hospital and couldn't speak. One of the nurses taught him sign language which she wasn't suppose to.." he trailed off at the dark look he got from braided Preventer. 

"That's enough for now on that, you can 'fess up more when Wind gets back about that. Now the bands what are they and how the hell do you take them off?" 

"A security measure.. we had people put in here that sometimes wouldn't stay in here where they were supposed to.. its an action to keep them here and prevent them from being taken away or sneaking out."

Duo crossed his arms across his chest. "Go on.. what about that silver thing on them?" 

"A small tracking monitor, its signal is constantly sent out to the master computer here and relayed back. If the signal is halted for any reason it ...well .. action is taken to deter the person from whatever they are doing to block it." 

"So blowing off a person's arm is an acceptable action to 'deter' a person hmm?" 

The Doctor hesitated and his mouth opened and closed for a couple minutes before he finally gave up on responding. The door opened then and he nodded once at Wind and lifted an eyebrow as he watched Heero and another person enter the room. The stranger closed the door and turned around. "Shit.. so I take it you found him ne?" he asked, eyes taking in the ragged appearance of the former general. Somehow it seemed that all he needed was a change of clothes and a hair cut to look more formable again. He turned his attention back to Wind. 

"What have you found while I was gone?" Wind asked as he sat down in one of the chairs, one arm absently wrapping itself around Treize's waist when the older man had sat down on the arm of the chair.

Duo glanced at Heero, but he was staring at the doctor glaring silently, so he looked back to Wind. "Well, besides his good fish imitation he's given some stuff on those 'nifty' bands and a load of what I so far think is bullshit. I'll let you decide on that though." 

Wind glanced at the doctor. "How many teeth did you have to work on to get that?" 

Duo grinned and sat down on the desk again, looking down at it. "Let's see.. " he twisted around and picked something up from behind him. "Looks like around five.." he tossed the teeth back on the desk. 

Wind shifted in his seat and glanced at the doctor. "So.. how do you remove one of these?" he asked him taking Treize's arm in one hand and raising the sleeve to reveal the black band with it's silver disk. 

The doctor fidgeted for a moment then walked towards him slowly. "I'd have to tell the master computer to shut this monitor off and then.." he hesitantly reached for Treize's wrist and turned it over to look at the backside of the band. ".. run a blade down the band to remove it." 

Heero straightened up. "Where's this computer at?" he asked. 

The Doctor looked up at him and flinched slightly at the cold glare he received. "It's down this hall behind the .." the doctor's voice trailed off. "Why do you want to know?" he asked.

Heero ignored the man and turned towards Wind. "I'll be back." He opened the door and then left the room. 


	4. Mir San: Shutdown of Shady Meadows

Dark Secrets

***

Part IV 

***

Heero walked down the hallway and then found a set of steel gray double doors. He pulled on the door handle. Locked. Scowling he scanned the area around the doors and then found the small panel off to one side. It was pitifully easy to break the code and he listened to the small hiss-click that followed the small green light flashing on the panel. 

Opening the doors he walked inside and flipped on the light switch on one side of the door. Scanning the room he spotted the large computer sitting on one side of the room. This would be child's play.. the computer was completely outdated compared to what he was used to breaking into. If it even *had* security it would surprise him, considering its looks. 

Walking over to it he turned on the monitor and scanned the data shown on the screen. He sat down and then glanced at the keyboard and back at the screen. A sentence was blinking at the bottom. 

*Login*

He raised an eyebrow and scowled faintly as his fingers flew across the keyboard, if the bypass didn't work he would have to try names. As he finished, the sentence disappeared to be replaced by another. 

*Command*

He typed in *Bring up Controls for Band Signal* and waited. There was a hum from the computer and then a flash of data. 

*Controls for Signal operational*

*1) Run test*

*2) Shut single signal down*

*3) Shut all signals down*

He hit the number 3 and waited. Another hum came from the computer and then a small click beep. 

*Signal emitter shut down complete*

*Signal receiver shut down complete*

*Signal defense shut down complete*

*Signal Bandwidth shut down complete*

*Signal Control is non-operational*

A small smile and then he scrolled through a few other things within the computer and used the system to unlock all the doors within the building as well. Then a line flashed onto the screen.

*Plan Alpha Mir San execute?* 

Heero scowled at the sentence. That did not sound good, apparently something he had done had triggered it. He typed *Explain Alpha Mir San* 

*Plan Alpha Mir San*

*In the case that building becomes unstable, condemned, or a government authority takes over the building and people therein.. *

*A odorless gas will be released in room '00' and subject within will cease to breathe*

*A charge will then be set off destroying all evidence of room '00' and its inhabitant*

*Subject Mir San must be kept hidden at all costs if charge and gas is halted building will go to Plan Beta Mir San*

Heero's eyes narrowed as he typed *Explain Plan Beta Mir San*

*Plan Beta Mir San*

*Explosives under certain placed carts will go off in the ordained order bringing the entire building down and burying the subject as well as all others within building*

*Second set of Explosives will then be set off by the last set of first explosives and reduce the building to further destruction and destroy any evidence of room '00' and its subject Mir San*

*Execute Alpha Mir San?* 

He glared at the computer. *Negative. Do not execute*

*Command understood. Door locks reengaging*

*Door Relock complete*

So that had been what had triggered it. Interesting.. He would have to ask the doctor about this. He had a feeling the cowardly man had no knowledge about this little detail. Standing back up he glared at the monitor for a couple more minutes under nothing new flashed up and he felt certain that no surprises were going to happen. He turned away from the monitor and then walked back to the door and exited into the hallway.

On the monitor a new sentence flashed for a moment and the monitor went dark.

*Executing Plan Omega Mir San* 


	5. Destruction of Shady Meadows \ Freedom f...

Dark Secrets

***

Part V

***

Duo heard the door open and glanced over at it. Heero walked back inside and glanced at Wind. "Its disarmed you can take it off now." 

Wind nodded and then took a small pocket knife from his jacket and set to work getting the band off. 

The Doctor glanced at Heero. "You only shut off his right? Just his?" He seemed nervous about something.

Heero glared at him. "No all of them. Do you know of Plans Alpha and Beta Mir San?" 

The Doctor's eyes grew wide. "They shouldn't come in effect unless you try to mass unlock the doors...but you have a larger problem.. you shut down the signal completely.. that means you launched Omega..." the older man dropped to his knees closing his eyes as if praying and when Duo leaned closer he realized the man *was* praying. 

"Shit.. Doc. Tell us what Omega is." he said shaking the doctor's shoulder to get his attention. 

The man looked up at him. "In less than a half an hour this building will be nothing more than a heap of broken plaster, wood, and cement. There is large explosive bigger than the ones involved in Beta sitting under the computer buried under the cement in that room. When it goes off it will set all the others off and if by some chance of fate their are survivors then the gas that is released by the explosion would kill them instantly." 

The three Preventers looked at each other silently then nodded as one. Wind finished cutting the band off Treize's wrist and threw it down to the floor, replacing the knife in his jacket. "Let's find Trowa and get these people out of here. They don't deserve this fate." he said standing up and walking over to the door. Treize followed him and they left the room. Duo walked away from the doctor and glanced once at Heero before following Wind and the former general. 

Heero glared at the doctor. "Who is Subject Mir San and where is room '00'?" he asked coldly. 

The Doctor looked at him and then grinned like a fool. "It doesn't matter now.. you'll never find him in time and get all of the people out if you try to do both.." The older man laughed. "Now that I am about to die would you like to know something.. I guess you would since you asked about Mir San.. " Another half-crazed laugh. " Mir San is actually a shortened code name meaning Miriald Sanc. Name and place of birth.. cute huh? " The Doctor snickered and wiped his eyes. " So I guess there is an heir to the non-existent throne of Sanc after all.. too bad he won't live long enough to know who he actually is...or should I say was.." 

Heero gave the crazed doctor a disgusted glare and left the room, running back quickly towards the computer room, but no matter what he tried on either panel or the force applied to the door it wouldn't budge. Giving that up he turned and then ran down the hall to catch up with the others.

*

Duo ran down the right hall and stopped as he watched Trowa walking towards him from the other end. He then saw the man behind him and grinned. "I see Wind already found you." 

Trowa shook his head and then glanced back at Miriald before looking back at Duo. "This isn't Wind, his name is Miriald." 

Duo looked back at the tall blonde behind him and studied him for a moment. "Oh.. so the Doctor wasn't giving us a load of BS.. cool.. nice to meet you Miriald Peacecraft." 

He got two startled stares for that, although Trowa recovered first. Miriald lifted his hands signing towards Trowa. 

/Peacecraft? / 

"Never mind. I'll explain later.. but right now we have to get the people who are still in here out. There's a bomb under this building and its going to blow in less than twenty minutes. Those little bands are shut off too by the way. " Duo said watching both of them. 

/I can help/ 

"Cool.. lets get going." Duo said as he stepped around them. "Oy.. look at all these doors.."

Miriald glanced at Trowa signing. /Not all the doors lead to personal rooms, some lead to hallways/ 

"You mean there's even more halls in this place?" Duo said looking back at them. 

The blonde nodded. / But all of the halls leading from 'this' hallway are faculty halls, they wouldn't have any residents in them/ 

Trowa nodded in understanding. "All right. You tell us which doors are halls and we'll skip those. Lets go." 

**

Ten minutes later, the four Preventer stood outside of the building. Over a hundred and ninety people standing behind them. 

Wind looked up to see Treize frozen a few feet away and quickly made his way back towards the building to get him. "Treize.." 

No response, except a small shiver. 

Wind laid a hand on his shoulder. "Treize.. what's wrong?" The older man had his eyes tightly closed and shivered again under his hand. Wind felt a tap on his own shoulder and looked over to where it had come from. A crimson haired elderly man looked at him then Treize and sighed. 

"Its no use trying to talk to him when he's like that lad. Ye best just pick him up and move him.. I keen that he must be feeling the people ye had to leave behind. He feels their death coming for them."

Wind turned to look at Treize again and then surprisingly, Treize opened his eyes and the threw his arms around him and buried his head into his shoulder. "It hurts.." he whispered into his shoulder. Wind wrapped his arms around him and half carried him further away from the building. 

Minutes later, a massive explosion ripped through the building blowing windows out and collapsing the walls of the building. 


	6. Reunion II : Miriald & Milliardo

Dark Secrets

****

Part VI

****

Dorothy looked up as the door opened and watched Wind walk inside with a familiar ginger haired form held against his chest. She stood as he walked further into the room heading for the bed behind her. "You did it.." she began softly. 

He laid Treize down on the bed and then turned to face her silently, before he left the room to walk into the bathroom. She heard the door opened again and Duo's voice then. "And this is our room.. I'll introduce you to Dorothy, and Wind if he's here yet. " She turned to see who he was speaking to and did a sudden double take as the second tall form walked into the room. 

"How.. " she turned to look back at the bathroom door, it was still closed. Frowning faintly she turned to look at the two again. "Duo...who is your friend?" 

Duo grinned suddenly and looking back at the tall blonde once before he answered her. "Miriald Peacecraft." He then gestured towards her while turning to face Miriald. "That is Dorothy.. she's ok.. she's the one who told us about Shady Meadows." 

Miriald nodded silently and then turned to look at her while lifting his hands from his sides.

/Thank you for that./ 

For a moment stunned she was about to say something when she heard the bathroom door open. "Dorothy..." the sentence died as the two blondes saw each other. She turned stepping out from between them and glanced over at Wind. He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak then closed it again walking slowly towards them and the twin. 

Duo broke the silence. "This is Wind, also known as Milliardo Peacecraft." Both Peacecrafts turned their attention to the braided Preventer. 

"Duo.. what do you know about this?" Wind asked, looking back over at Miriald. 

Duo sighed and then looked from one then the other. "Well.. I thought the Doctor's little story was a load of bull.. but apparently he was telling the truth for once.. He said that there was another heir to the throne that one that no one knew about. Also he mentioned that twins were supposed to be bad news for a monarchy, so to fix that little problem, they kept the older of the two and sent the younger away right after he was born to be taken in by someone else that they trusted." 

"I had.." Wind began softly and then shook his head slightly and looked back at Duo. "Did he say anything else?" He turned his attention back to his twin though without waiting for an answer. "What is your name?"

Miriald lifted his hands from his sides again to once more sign his name, before continuing to tell him that he had no voice. Wind narrowed his eyes slightly at this information. 

"Why? What happened.. if I may ask?" 

A different person answered his question though as another tall form walked into the room, glancing at both Peacecrafts as he came to stand a couple feet away from them. "His ability to speak was taken away by an arranged riding accident. I assume it was to keep him silent so that when they hid him like they did, that he couldn't ask for help or so that someone would not mistake him for the Older Peacecraft, namely you." Trowa glanced at everyone in the room before walking over towards the phone. "If you will excuse me I need to call Headquarters." 

Wind finally pushed this mystery to the side for a moment. "Where is Heero?" 

Trowa glanced up from the phone towards him. "He's taking care of the last of those people we were able to get out of that place. He should be here soon." he said before turning his attention back to the phone and dialing.

Dorothy sighed and then tapped Wind on the shoulder to get his attention. "What happened there.. obviously something big happened.. fill me as to what would you?" 

He nodded silently and walked over towards the bed sitting down beside the sleeping Treize. "We went in and split up.. strangely, or perhaps not seeing as to what I know now, everyone one was giving me strange looks and acting as if they were afraid of me.. " he looked over at Miriald after he said that and gave him a considering look. " Mind telling me why they were afraid..? Did you do something while you were there?" he asked Miriald. 

A small silent sigh escaped the younger Peacecraft and he nodded before signing. / I once broke one of the nurse's arms when they tried to drug me once.. and while I didn't mean too.. I also broke the Doctor's nose once.. he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I had swung back trying to get one of the nurses to leave me alone.. / 

"I see.. that might be why the nurses and even the Doctor all paled at my appearance there." 

Miriald nodded and signed again. /Plus the fact that I was supposed to be locked in my rooms.. and not outside where I might be seen./ 

"True.. anyway. After we waited for a while for the Doctor, we decided to go to him instead and after a bit of persuasion got him to tell Duo about the bands around the wrists and about Miriald it seems. While Duo was getting answers I had left to find out if Heero had found Treize. I found them on their way towards the Doctor's office I had just left. After that we found out how to turn the bands off and then we discovered that after turning all of them off we had set off a time bomb that was wired into the building. So we worked to get everyone we could out of the building. Minutes after we finished, the building exploded and killed anything that had been left behind. If the explosion didn't get them, the gas that the Doctor said was in the building to apparently kill..." he paused for a moment before continuing. "my.. brother.. would kill any survivors." 

Dorothy sat down in a chair beside the bed and stared at him for a moment, her face pale. "Dear gods.. I had thought there was something wrong with that place but I never thought.." she trailed off glancing back at the younger blonde still standing beside Duo. She looked back at Wind, who had turned his attention to the person beside him running a hand silently through the long ginger hair, brushing it out of the scarred face. 

"What now Mr. Milliardo? How do you think Miss Relena will take finding out she has another older brother? Also what is to become of him..?" 

He looked up at her briefly, before looking back down at Treize. "I have the same answer to all three questions. *I don't know* I can only hope that Relena takes this well.. maybe he could work with me as a Preventer doing behind the scenes work.." he looked up, glancing over at Miriald. "Would you care for that?" 

/Possibly.. / Miriald glanced down at Duo for a moment before asking the younger man. /Are you one of them.. one of these Preventers?/ 

Duo grinned and nodded. "Yes.. so is Trowa over there.. and Heero who should be here any time now. There are others too.. I'll introduce you once we go back there. I wouldn't mind working with you if you did decide to help.. " 

Miriald nodded and then glanced up at Wind and seeing he still had his attention signed another question. 

/Who is Relena? Another sibling?/ 

A dark look passed very briefly over Wind's face at the second mention of his sister and he sighed looking away again, back down at the face below him. 'I'll show her when I go back.. I'll be able to leave that god awful place and possibly live with Treize..' "Yes.. she's .. our.. sister." 

Duo snickered softly. "She also has .. no offense.. but a reality problem you might say." 

Wind sighed and then returned his attention to Treize as Miriald looked down at Duo in slight confusion.

/Reality.. problem? Do you mean she has a mental impairment?/ 

That got a laugh out of Duo and he had to calm himself down slightly before he could speak again. "Well.. I wouldn't put it exactly like that.. but you might be on to something.."

Dorothy rolled her eyes and sighed. "Duo..." 

Duo snickered again and then held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright so she's not mentally impaired, but she acts like it at times it seems.. who else would scream at the top of their lungs for someone to come and *kill* them? Sheesh.." he grinned again and looked back up at Miriald who was staring at him in slight disbelief. "I know.. hard to believe huh.. I thought so too when I heard about it. Anyway.. she has the hots for Heero, but won't realize he's not interested in her that way. I'll just let you draw your own judgments when you do meet her.." 

As he finished the door to the room opened again and Heero walked inside and glanced at everyone there before centering his attention on Miriald. " I assume your Subject Mir San, or Miriald." he said as he walked towards them. 

Duo moved to stand on Miriald's other side placing himself between the Japanese pilot and the tall blonde. "Yea.. and he's Zechs's brother too.. " he said as he watched Heero stop in front of him. 

"I like to speak to him Duo, not a go-between." 

"Fine."

Dorothy watched the two pilots and glanced over at Wind and Trowa to see they were also watching the confrontation. Duo hadn't moved from his place between Miriald and Heero and didn't show any signs that he was going to.. ' What is going on here..? He's acting like a mother cat protecting kittens..' 

Heero watched Duo silently for a couple minutes then moved to stand on Miriald's other side. Duo then moved to stand closer to Miriald almost switching sides again. Heero ignored him, turning his attention to the man in front of him now. "How long were you at that place?" he asked, his tone expressionless. 

A small sigh escaped Miriald before he signed. /As I told .. Trowa.. ten years./ 

Heero glanced over at the auburn haired Preventer watching him from beside the phone. "You're the one who found him?" Trowa nodded silently. He turned his attention back towards Miriald to find that Duo had once again come between him and the other man. "Duo.. what is your problem? I'm not going to harm him.."

Duo just stood there with no real expression as he watched Heero. "You don't need to touch him to hurt him.. just back off until everything calms down.. then if he wants to talk about it, fine.. you guys can talk, Ok?" 

Something in the Duo's speech made Dorothy glance up at Miriald and she saw the sudden brief flash of relief in his azure eyes. 'He didn't want to talk about that place.. of course I can't blame him. I don't even like to remember what little I saw of it.. I don't even want to think about having to stay there ten years..' 

Heero gave Duo a silent glare before turning away from him to glance at her. "We're finished here.. I'm leaving now since we don't need four agents just to escort both of them to Headquarters." With a brief glance at both Trowa and Wind he turned and left the room.

Duo seemed to relax slightly when he left and smiled up at the tall blonde beside him. "A small bit of advice.. if you don't want to talk about something just tell them you're not going to talk about it. Most of the time they'll listen." 

Miriald nodded and then sighed softly. Trowa then spoke up breaking the awkward silence that had fallen after Duo's statement. "I've explained the situation to Home. We have orders to return ASAP, bringing both of them with us in secret of course."

Wind looked over at Trowa. "If he wants to remain hidden from the world that's fine with me.. but I will tell Relena about him.. I will prove to her that I *was* right and leave that place." Dorothy sighed softly then stood up to ready her suitcase to leave. He didn't need to say what place he spoke of.. everyone here, with the exception of his newfound brother knew what Relena had done. 

Duo nodded and then walked over and picked a small duffel bag up before returning to stand by Miriald again. Trowa said nothing as he walked away from the wall he had been leaning against and retrieved his own bag and Wind's as well, setting it down beside the bed for him. 

Dorothy turned her attention back to them as she shut the suitcase and set it down on the ground. "Everyone ready?" she asked softly, glancing once at her cousin still sleeping on the bed. Wind nodded silently as he stood and picked Treize up again holding him silently as he bent slightly to pick the bag up as well. Treize sighed softly at this shifting and then went back to sleep resting his head against Wind's neck and shoulder. 

Trowa and Duo left first with Miriald, Dorothy and Wind followed a couple minutes later with Treize silently and the two pairs left to travel to the Airport and back to Brussels.


	7. Blind Refusal: Relena

***  
Part VII  
***  
  
Dorothy watched Relena silently for a moment. "Miss. Relena?"   
  
Relena looked over at her and then smiled slightly. "I was just trying to take in what you have told me so far. Where is Miriald staying by the way? I could offer him a room where I am at, there is plenty of room within the palace. I would be glad to take him in."  
  
"He's staying with one of the other Preventers at the moment to keep his existence secret for the time being until they find just the right time to let it be known to the public." she said leaning back in her chair.  
  
"Which Preventer? I understand the need for secrecy though, our family has enough press coverage as it is now.."  
  
Dorothy nodded silently to the last half of the statement. 'And you putting your brother behind bars, so to speak, did not help it any.' "The Preventer was Shadow I believe.. Moon lives with Sun so could not take him in. As well as Shadow would not allow Heero to get near him and said as much. And he couldn't go with Mr. Milliardo due to where he lives currently."   
  
"Shadow is that Maxwell character isn't he? I think my brother would be better off living with me in Sanc than with him."  
  
Dorothy sighed softly at the animosity in Relena's voice. Sitting up, she reached down beside her for the small case she had brought with her. "Well, if he went to Sanc he would end up in the spotlight. Also I think he needs to adjust to being free and around others before going someplace big like that, that's also his birthplace. Plus if he returned at the moment the pressmen would take his accounting of events and twist them to get something dangerous to put in the news. As I have said Miriald and Mr. Milliardo are exact twins. It's not hard to see where they might think that King Peacecraft knew about both and tried to rid himself of the possible problem of which would be the heir to the throne. Although I doubt if he truly did know.. it had to be an advisor or some other behind the scenes player. I just cannot see him doing something so base.."  
  
"Dorothy.. are you implying something? I won't listen to you insult my family." Relena said half standing from her seat, eyes narrowed watching her.   
  
"I'm not implying anything, Miss. Relena. But let us put this behind us.. I have something here I need you to sign for me if you would be so kind." Dorothy stood as Relena relaxed slightly and sat back down behind her desk. She took out the sheaf of papers and then set it down on the desk.   
  
"Since it seems that Milliardo was right, and that Mr. Treize is indeed alive. It's felt by both me and himself that he should no longer have to live within that institution that he's currently in. I've spoken with Lady Une and she agreed with me and has already signed the papers. All I need now is your signature, since it seems that there are standing orders that he's not to be released without both of the signatures on the forms." Dorothy sat back down and waited silently.   
  
Relena glanced down at the papers and then frowned faintly before setting them aside with a small sigh. "I'm sorry, but I can't sign this release form. I am keeping my brother's best interests in mind, he needs to be in a place where he can escape the press and where he will possibly get over the fact that .." she paused for a moment and then continued. "that *man* is dead and is not coming back to him." She shook her head and sighed again.   
  
Dorothy frowned faintly. "Relena.. you didn't listen to me. We found Treize. Your brother was right, he *is* alive. Mr. Milliardo is *not* deluded, nor is he crazed as you, yourself have sometimes implied."  
  
"Dorothy, please. I will not sit here and listen to this.. I hear enough of it when I visit him. If you're finished, I do have a job to do."   
  
Dorothy stood and picked up the papers silently and replaced them within the case. "Very well. Will you accept my invitation to come to my place for dinner tonight then? Or maybe I can come to yours? We can talk about your other brother if you like."   
  
Relena glanced up at her. "I would be glad to come to dinner at your place. Will you let this nonsense about Milliardo and your cousin drop while I'm there?"   
  
"Of course. I hope you don't mind, but I will be having other guests there as well as yourself."   
  
Relena smiled slightly. "Good.. I don't mind at all. I look forward to it. What time?"  
  
"8 o'clock, it will be casual of course." Dorothy then turned away and walked out of the office. Hailing a cab, she traveled back to her hotel and her rooms laying the case on her bed. With a small sigh she sat down in front of a small desk and dialed the Preventer's headquarters.  
  
At 7 o' clock a black limo pulled in front of Dorothy's house. The driver got out and opened one of the side doors and a tall blonde stepped out, followed by a smaller young man with a chestnut braid that reached down past his waist. The driver closed the door afterwards and then left, pulling away from the house.   
  
Dorothy stepped outside and welcomed both Miriald and Duo. Leading them inside she told both of them what she had planned on tonight during dinner. A half an hour later, Milliardo came and was also filled in. He agreed to it with slightly narrowed eyes.   
  
Finally at eight, Dorothy greeted Relena and led her inside to the dining room where Miriald, Duo and Milliardo were already seated. They both sat down and dinner was placed on the table. Just as they were about to begin eating though the doorbell was rung. Dorothy stood up and left to answer it leaving the others alone.   
  
Relena glanced over at Miriald, ignoring Duo who sat between the two Peacecrafts. "It must have been horrible to have lived through what I've heard.." she began.   
  
Milliardo glanced over at Relena, lips parted slightly. Duo laid a hand on his arm and he glanced over at him to see Miriald sign. / I don't wish to speak of it. /  
  
Relena nodded. "I understand. It must have been terrible, I don't blame you for not wanting to talk about it." She cast a glance at the hand that still laid on Milliardo's arm and disapproval seemed to radiate from that one glance and her demeanor.   
  
Duo could feel the tenseness of the arm underneath his hand. He was almost certain that Milliardo was moments away from doing something regrettable. Thankfully though, Dorothy came back into the room and then spoke softly to the person that was behind her. She walked back over to her seat and sat down once again. He felt the arm under his hand relax suddenly and glanced over to see why. He smiled slightly as he watched Treize walk towards the seat that had been left beside Milliardo's.   
  
The former general took one of Milliardo's hands in his and lightly kissed the back of it before sitting down. Duo withdrew his hand and turned his attention towards Relena and Dorothy again. Relena hadn't seemed to notice the new arrival. He glanced back at Treize and smiled at him, noting the haircut and the navy patch that now covered his right eye. He thought of something and grinned slightly. "So.. Treize, have you decided what you're going to do yet?"   
  
Treize glanced over at him and sighed softly. " Most likely what was suggested. Paperwork, the behind the scenes would fit with what I want and need now." Treize gave a small silent glance at Relena before continuing. "Of course, once Milliardo leaves those estates and is able to live with Me.."  
  
Relena sighed softly and shook her head. "Dorothy, I thought we had decided to put this matter to rest. Milliardo will not be leaving Meadows and that is all I have to say on the matter."   
  
Dorothy glanced from Milliardo's dark expression, over Treize's slightly shocked one to give her complete attention to Relena. "I did not bring it up."  
  
"Don't be such a sea-lawyer, I am not signing those papers. Even if he *did* come back from the grave I *still* wouldn't.."   
  
"SILENCE!"   
  
Duo jumped in his seat and then looked over towards Milliardo who had stood up and was now glaring down at Relena. Relena looked over at her brother and sighed. "Very well, I'll be happy to drop.."  
  
"I said *shut up*."   
  
Relena blinked once as if she didn't understand what was going on and opened her mouth to respond, only to close it due to the visible rage in the azure eyes. She nodded silently and turned her attention back to the plate in front of her. Milliardo glanced at Dorothy silently for a moment before speaking. His tone still held anger, but it wasn't as heated as before. " I am sorry, but I find I no longer have an appetite." He walked out of the room.   
  
Duo glanced at Miriald silently and found him watching Relena intently. He lightly touched his arm to get his attention. Miriald glanced over at him and he lowered his voice. "If you want me to, I'll explain when we get home." A blonde eyebrow raised slightly and then he nodded turning his attention back to the plate before him.   
  
Treize stood up then and gave his cousin a small slight bow before excusing himself and following Milliardo into the other room.   
  
Relena glanced up then and smiled slightly as if the past several minutes had not occurred. "How would you like to see Sanc?" she asked Miriald.   
  
Miriald glanced up at her and then set his fork down once again to answer. / Maybe after everything has settled down. /   
  
Relena nodded. "Of course. Do you have a place to stay? I'd be happy to have you stay with me. We could get to know one another, make up for lost time."   
  
Duo glanced at Dorothy. He could of sworn Dorothy had said that she had already answered this question. Dorothy just sighed softly and leaned back in her seat. He turned his attention to Miriald.   
  
/ I do. I am staying with Duo. We could come to visit you during the holidays maybe./   
  
Duo grinned and turned his attention towards Relena. Her smile had faded and there was obvious hostility in her gaze towards him. 'What is her problem..?' He looked away from her turning his attention back to the meal that had gone mostly untouched so far. He felt a light touch on his arm and glanced over at the older man beside him.   
  
/ Don't mind her, it doesn't matter what she thinks of it, I *am* going to continue to stay with *you* /   
  
That brought another grin and he winked silently at him before returning his attention to his plate. The sound of a chair being scooted back got his attention and he glanced up to see Relena was now standing and glancing at Dorothy. "If you will please excuse me, I'd like to use your phone." Dorothy seemed to consider and then nodded. Relena turned and then walked out of the room.   
  
Duo watched the doorway for a moment. "Sure that was wise? You know the strings she likes to pull, especially when she doesn't get her way about something."   
  
Dorothy looked over at him. "I have a few of my own, should she try anything involving Miriald. I am sorry for this evening. I thought that *maybe* if I could get her in the same room with Treize, she would *have* to acknowledge the fact that he *is* alive. I never realized she could be so stubborn and blind when she choose to be."   
  
Duo rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. "Hell I knew that, but I would just *love* to know just *what* is her problem with me. I haven't done anything *to* her.. sure I crack a few jokes, but that doesn't deserve the dirty looks she gives me."   
  
"I don't know. Maybe she considers you the reason she can't get to Heero?"   
  
Duo shook his head and sighed. "Heero isn't near interested in me. You want Wu-man. Heero hardly says two words to me anymore.. no make that three. Anyway, what we going to do about Milliardo? Before you came in here with Treize, he was ready to snap. Her statements afterwards just served to push him over that edge. Personally, I think she *is* trying to drive him crazy."   
  
/ What good would that serve? And why can't he leave where he's at? /   
  
Dorothy sighed. "Well, it would give her an excuse to have him retired from the Preventers, thus cutting him off from the outside world. Actually, now that I'm thinking of it, she might be feeling some anger maybe towards him as well for stepping out of the succession. He would *officially* be the King of Sanc if he hadn't refused her publicly like he did. Of course, she might be looking at placing you in that spot, but that wouldn't be very wise because.. well you know what I mean."   
  
Miriald nodded and then signed his second question again. /Why can't he leave that place?/   
  
"Well, she somehow gathered some kind of proof that Mr. Milliardo was in need of a place that could keep him out of the media's spotlight, basically it meant that he couldn't take care of himself. She added to it by saying he was deluded in that he thought Treize was alive. She seemed to have conveniently forgotten that Miss. Noin held the same conviction about Mr. Milliardo after the war. She convinced Lady Une to help her and together they forced him into those estates."   
  
/ The way you say estates, does not sound good. She said something about Meadows.. would that be the name of the estates?/   
  
Dorothy nodded. "The place is a collection of rather nice houses, surrounded by a high brick wall and the gate is monitored by a guard 24 hours a day, all week. In some houses they monitor the people within, but fortunately that isn't the case. Mr. Milliardo just can not leave unless it is for Preventer business, or of course, I pull what few strings I have to get him out for a couple hours."   
  
Miriald shuddered slightly. / It sounds too much like that other place, couldn't he get out without her signing whatever papers she was speaking of?/   
  
"I tried that, and apparently she set up specific orders that he is *not* to be released unless she has signed the paperwork. Lady Une already signed and tried to help me get him out, but it didn't work."  
  
"Hell, couldn't someone just bust him out of there?" Duo said as he turned his chair to face both Miriald and Dorothy.   
  
Dorothy smiled slightly. "He would be searched for and then put back in, and placed under heavier surveillance. Also they might end up forcing him to retire early from the Preventers."   
  
/ What if he wasn't found?/   
  
"They wouldn't be able to put him back in of course, but he couldn't continue to work as a Preventer if he was brought out that way. Maybe if we were sure of everyone in the Preventer's HQ, he could work behind the scenes with Treize."   
  
Duo grinned at the plan. "Sounds good to me, now we just need to talk to him and work out the bugs, since I think its plain to see, he's not going to get out any other way."   
  
"Sadly, I think your right. Very well.. I'll speak with Lady Une tomorrow about it and see who we can trust with this." Dorothy then placed one finger in front of her lips and glanced towards the doorway. The door opened and Relena walked back inside.   
  
"My ride home is here now, so we'll be leaving now." she said glancing once at Dorothy before turning her attention to Miriald.   
  
"Good night then. Hopefully the trip home will be uneventful." Dorothy said rising from her seat. "Would you like me to walk you to the door?"   
  
Relena smiled and nodded. "Yes, you can walk us to the door, if you wish."  
  
Duo glanced between Relena and Dorothy. "Us?"   
  
Relena glanced briefly at him before looking back at Miriald. "Yes, Miriald is leaving with me."   
  
Duo saw Miriald tense up at her words. / I *told* you I did *not* wish to go with you. I am *staying* with Duo./   
  
Relena narrowed her eyes briefly before sighing. " You should be with family, not strangers. Besides I'm not going back to Sanc yet, so that's not a problem yet. We'll go as you've said, when things die down."   
  
/ I am *not* going *period*. Duo is *not* a stranger, he is my *friend*, and I *will* continue to live *with* him./   
  
"Fine. I'll speak to you again in a couple of days then, brother. Take care." She turned and walked out of the room again. Dorothy sighed and followed her out. 


End file.
